


Heartbeat like the Rain

by forheart



Category: B.A.P, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Character Death, Gen, M/M, Mental Illness, Self Harm, Suicide, Tattoo, but not major character death, soulmate, this is a cluster fuck of warnings, too much dialogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-09-24
Packaged: 2018-04-23 03:52:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4862027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forheart/pseuds/forheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone is born with a tattoo on their ankle. When someone falls in love, their loved one's tattoo appears on their skin. This includes romantic love, friendship love, and parental love.</p><p>Taehyung has a tattoo of a ship in space on his ankle.<br/>Jungkook has a black and white dragon.</p><p>(sorry I suck at summaries)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heartbeat like the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Anon asked "taehyung doesn't know what to do, where to go. so he goes to jeongguk"
> 
> I will kill whoever asked for this, i swear i will kill you. I had way too many emotions when I wrote this. warnings: suicide (none of the boys), abuse, smoking, mentions of drug use, self harm, un edited, proceed with caution
> 
> Soulmate tattoos borrowed from this post on tumblr http://fallenbuildings.tumblr.com/post/129670946819/spookymileskane-au-where-everyone-is-born-with

When you share a room with nine other boys, privacy is hard to come by.

The door vibrated with every pounding knack. Taehyung felt the reverberations against the side wall. He faced the toilet. He sat barefoot on the ground, one pant leg rolled up to reveal the tattoo on his ankle. His personal tattoo. His one of a kind mark. A wooden ship floating amongst the stars.

The pounding continued. And screaming. Hoseok had to go to the bathroom. Open the god damn door Taehyung.

Taehyung leaned his head against the wall. White bangs obstructing his vision.

He didn’t move.

~~

The thing about living in a group home is that it can’t be hidden.

When six boys all within the same four years of age are dropped off at the front gates in the same van, the whole school knows where they come from. It can’t be hidden. Especially when the tallest boy in class comes from the same group home as you.

Taehyung glared at Junhong from his desk in the back row. After the third consecutive day that Junhong forgot his glasses, Mrs. Sanchez permanently moved him to a desk the front row. He blocked out the four kids behind him, but at least the class didn’t have to hear constantly ask questions about what was written on the board. Overall everyone benefited from the change.

Everyone except Taehyung.

When Junhong ran out of clean clothes, he would borrow from Taehyung’s laundry. Some days he would wear a shirt the day after Taehyung wore it. Similar ripped jeans. Similar goodwill jackets. Obvious hand me downs. Junhong just screamed charity case. So did Taehyung by association.

Taehyung crossed his arms and lay his head down on his desk.

He slept through Spanish.

~~

The first art exercise was to draw your own personal tattoo.

Mr. Rockwell had painted two as an example. His own, a flower pot filled with multicolored pens, and his wife’s, two koi fish circling a pond, a tattoo he had on his forearm.

The next day, Mr. Rockwell had taped all of their drawings on the board and asked everyone to guess on which drawing belonged to whom.

A striped maneki neko belonged to a tall girl with a tooth filled smile. A Pegasus belonged to a short kid with bright blue eyes. One drawing had the whole class entranced. A very detailed black ink dragon with red flames surrounding it.

“Can someone guess this one?” Mr. Rockwell pointed his yard stick at a poorly drawn triangle in a black mass.

When ho one raised their hand, Mr. Rockwell spoke again. “Why don’t you try, Jungkook? You haven’t spoken all of class.”

All eyes turned to the back of the classroom. A kid wearing all black, with too pale skin and a big nose shrugged his shoulders. “It’s a shit drawing.”

“Try anyway.” Mr. Rockwell leaned on his yard stick, obviously waiting on an answer.

Jungkook scoffed. He leaned forward onto the table, “Is the triangle a boat? And the black stuff around it, is that water?”

This time Mr. Rockwell shrugged, “I don’t know. Do you want to guess who the owner is, and ask them?”

“Sure,” Jungkook smirked. His eyes darted to the table to the far left table, where Taehyung sat in the seat closest to the door. “I think it belongs to the kid with orange hair.”

“You! Um..” Mr Rockwell snapped his fingers, then stopped and pointed at Taehyung, “Taehyung right?”

Taehyung nodded, yes.

“Is this your tattoo a boat in the water?” Mr. Rockwell asked.

Taehyung shook his head, no.

Mr. Rockwell shrugged his shoulder, “Sorry Jungkook. You were wrong.”

Jungkook looked offended. He opened his mouth to protest but the bell rang at that time. Taehyung grabbed his backpack and walked out of the classroom. He missed Jungkook’s glare.

~~

Junhong scribbled frantically in his notebook, his math textbook open right in front of him. Taehyung sat to his right, and sneakily at the French fries off his lunch try. Hoseok sat across from them, and stared across the quad to the teacher on lunch duty.

“You’re creepy,” Taehyung said.

“He’s the student teacher for my biology class,” Hoseok said, he propped his head on his hand and smiled, “He’s only 21 years old.”

Taehyung glared.

Hoseok’s didn’t look at him, “He’s going to fuck me.”

Taehyung scoffed, “You’re not worth him losing his teaching license.”

“We’ll see.”

“Can you two shut up,” Junhong snapped, “This is due next class.”

“Should have done it last night,” Hoseok said.

“I was working on English last night. You know it takes me forever to read.”

“Then you should have born without dyslexia,” Hoseok said. He picked up his tray and left the table.

Taehyung eyed Junhong’s burger. He slowly reached out for it…

Someone slammed down in the seat across from Taehyung. It was Jungkook, the kid from Taehyung's art class, and he was glaring.

“You liar,” he said.

Taehyung blinked at him, “I didn’t lie.”

“Yes you did,” Jungkook leaned on the table, “You said the drawing wasn’t yours. I saw you draw it in class yesterday.”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t mine. I said it wasn’t a boat at sea.”

Jungkook’s jaw dropped.

Taehyung smiled.  “The dragon was yours,” that wasn’t phrased as a question. “Can I see it?”

Jungkook closed his mouth. He glared. He muttered _asshole_ under his breath as he stormed off.

Taehyung shrugged. He successfully stole Junghong’s burger and ate it while the other was distracted with numbers.

~~

Hoseok was right about the biology student teacher being hot, but he still had no chance. His name was Seokjin, and he had white lilies on the back of his hand.

When Taehyung asked who they belonged to, Seokjin said, “That’s inappropriate to ask of someone you just met.”

Then Taehyung asked him for help with biology, and if he minded if they spoke in Korean?

“Not at all,” Seokjin answered, his words slightly accented, “But most of my scientific vocabulary is in English so there may be a lot of switching.”

“I don’t mind,” Taehyung answered, “None of the guardians know it so we’re not allowed to speak at home.”

“You’re from the group home?” Seokjin asked.

Taehyung froze. “…yes,” he admitted, he scolded himself for revealing it so easily.

“If that’s too personal we can avoid talking about it,” Seokjin smiled sheepishly, “We didn’t have any homes in Redlands so I’m not familiar with this topic.”

“It’s okay. This is the nicest home I’ve been placed at, and Van Nuys is a good area,” Taehyung looked down at the practice problems.

“I won’t ask anymore,” Seokjin sighed, “What do you need help with?”

“Everything,” Taehyung admitted.

~~

The group home was divided by race. The black kids crammed in one room, the latino kids in the other, and the Asians, since they had the smallest group, were in the smallest room furthest away from the bathrooms. Three Koreans in high school, and one tiny Filipino middle schooler. The Filipino wouldn’t be there long, his mother was getting of rehab in three weeks.

“Isn’t that the dream,” Hoseok sighed from his bunk, “a mother that actually wanted you.”

Hoseok’s own mother had been arrested for drug charges. She was supposed to be released after two weeks. It’s been nine years since she did her time. She never picked up Hoseok.

Hoseok had her tattoo on his forearm. A beautiful black panther. Taehyung could hardly make it out after all the times Hoseok’s cut into it.

He turned so that he faced the wall, “Isn’t that fucking great.”

Taehyung needed to change the subject.

“Heard anything from your dad?” Taehyung asked Junhong.

Junhong looked up from his abused copy of Huckleberry Finn. He chewed on his bottom lip. “I called the hospital but I couldn't talk to him. He was put in isolation after he broke the TV. Something about it being on fire.”

Junhong’s father was schizophrenic. His mom died during childbirth, and his father was too far gone to get in contact in his family in Korea. When the authorities finally did reach Junhong’s grandmother, she said she didn’t have the energy to raise him. A child unwanted. What a suckish way to go.

Junhong flipped to the next page and scribbled in the margins. Taehyung wasn’t going to get a conversation from him. He put his headphones in, laid down on his bunk, and listened to Frank Ocean’s soothing voice.

~~

Jungkook sat down at his table.

Taehyung blinked at him.

“It’s rude to stare,” Jungkook said.

“Why are you here?” Taehyung asked.

“Virgin Mary over there didn’t like my language yesterday,” Jungkook pointed at a blonde girl wearing a long skirt and long sweater. “So Mr. Rockwell asked me to move.”

He pulled out his sketch book, a hardcover one with half of the the pages filled in, and began the mandatory ten minutes of free sketch at the beginning of class.

Taehyung blinked at him, “Why me?”

Jungkook spoke in Korean, “Do you understand me?”

“Of course,” Taehyung answered in Korean.

“That’s why,” Jungkook didn’t look up.

Taehyung could see his guages , and the studs above them.

Taehyung shrugged. He pulled out his own sketchbook, a lisa frank notebook that had been donated to the group home, and began to draw.

Jungkook drew hairy hands.

Taehyung drew a circle with two antennas and a lop sided smile.

~~

There was someone else at the lunch table. Someone with soft features and an orange beanie on their head.

Taehyung stared.

“Can I help you?” he asked in korean.

“Who are you?” Taehyung asked in korean.

“New rule,” Junhong said, he held a tray in each hand and placed them on the table, “No Korean when I’m in the room. Taehyung, this is Youngjae. He’s helping me with algebra 2. Youngjae, this is Taehyung. We live together.”

Youngjae waved. “So you’re from the group home.”

Taehyung winced, “… yes.”

“Do you like it?”

“No one likes it,” Taehyung said. He grabbed his tray and walked away from the table. He scanned the quad. Hoseok was talking animatedly to Seokjin. Seokjin’s arms were crossed, he looked uncomfortable. He was about to go back inside the cafeteria when he felt a tug on hid hoodie.

It was Jungkook in a common all black ensemble. “Sit with me,” he said.

Taehyung didn’t have anything better, so he followed Jungkook to the furthest end of the quad, out of sight from the other students and the monitors. Jungkook sat down with his back to a school wall.

Taehyung glared.

Jungkook patted the grass next to him.

Taehyung cautiously sat down.

Jungkook pulled a box of his cigarettes from his backpack. He held it out to Taehyung. Taehyung shook his head, no.

“Not a smoker?” Jungkook asked. He pulled one and put in his mouth.

“I like having functional lungs,” Taehyung said.

Jungkook laughed. He lit up the cigarette and took a drag, “What’s the matter? I thought all you group home kids did bad things.”

“Not all of us,” Taehyung said.

“One of you guys deals to my friend,” Jungkook said.

“Was it Javi?” Taehyung asked.

Jungkook nodded.

“He gets that shit from his uncle. He doesn’t use it, just makes good money. That’s why can afford the good lunch.”

“What about you?” Jungkook asked, “Got any family you’re in contact with?”

Taehyung didn’t answer. He ate his mashed potatoes in silence.

Jungkook smirked. He took another drag, and muttered _weirdo_ as he exhaled the smoke.

~~

Youngjae was suddenly everywhere and Taehyung hated it.

He always ate lunch at their table. In their PE class, Youngjae would be in their groups. Taehyung’s only only time with Junhong was in their free period.

“I’m going to Mr. Rosenthal’s free period,” Junhong shoved his textbooks into his backpack, “Youngjae said he would with help with me that essay for history.”

“But we were going to watch Fooly Cooly,” Taehyung pouted.

“We can watch it when we get home,” Junhong said. He waved, then left the classroom.

Their free period was in the computer room. Which is cool when you have someone to watch anime with.

Taehyung sulked as he watched Fooly Cooly.

~~

Today was the day the Filipino kid was going home. His mom called the day before to arrange everything and make sure he was packed. He was. He assured his mom not to worry.

Taehyung bypassed the lunch table and walked straight to the far quad area.

Jungkook was there. He wore a black hoodie and black jeans and had a cigarette in his hand. Taehyung sat down next to him.

It had rained that morning. Jungkook’s hoodie was damp. Taehyung still buried his nose in the sleeve.

“Do want to talk about it?” Jungkook asked.

“No,” Taehyung said in a small voice.

Jungkook wrapped his arm around Taehyung’s shoulders, Taehyung had to bury his in Jungkook’s chest.

“You can come to my house after school, if you want to,” Jungkook offered.

Taehyung didn’t say anthing.

“Never mind, it was a stupid idea,” Jungkook mumbled.

They stayed there all of lunch.

When Taehyung got home, the bunk above Junhong’s was empty.

He wished he had taken Jungkook’s offer.

~~

There was one teacher at the school who had five different tattoos that weren’t hers.

“One is from her younger brother,” Sujeong held her hand out, she put down a finger a she explained each one, “One is from her mother. One from her college boyfriend. And one is from her husband.”

“Where did she get the last one?” Jungkook asked.

Sujeong’s smile grew wider. “She refused to answer. It’s a dove right above her waistline. And my choir teacher has the exact same dove on her ankle.”

Taehyung’s mouth pulled into its box smile.

 “Holy shit,” Jungkook laughed, “So you think that Mrs. Anderson and Ms. Lopez?”

“I think Ms. Lopez’s tattoo is on her neck, that’s why she always wears turtlenecks, even during the summer,” Sujeong said.

“That would be hard to cover up,” Jungkook laughed, “Man that’s crazy.”

“The back table needs to stop giggling and get back to drawing,” Mr. Rockwell called out from where he sat at his front desk, “or else I’m going to ban Korean from this classroom.”

“This America, we speak American,” a blonde guy in a wrestling hoodie said aloud. His entire table applauded him.

Sujeong sneered, Jungkook subtly threw a bird in their direction.

Today’s assignment was charcoal drawings. On each table was various props. Jungkook had fought for their table to have the bones.

“Alas poor Yorick,” Taehyung held the skull up in the air, “I knew him well.”

“Put him down I’m not done yet,” Jungkook slapped Taehyung’s shoulder.

“Like you need to see him,” Taehyung said. He did place the skull back on the table, right next to a femur, “You draw skulls every other day.”

“Yeah but I never have a skull right in front of me,” Jungkook carefully smudged the charcoal on his page, create the dark abyss of an eye socket.

“Lucky for me, I do,” Sujeong beamed.

“Your tattoo is a maneki neko,” Taehyung said.

“You remembered? How sweet,” Sujeong lowered her shirt collar to reveal the beginning of a skull under her collarbone, “It’s the tattoo from my best friend during middle school.”

“That’s right on your heart,” Taehyung said.

“Yeah, I get to see it every time I change,” Sujeong said.

“That's awesome. Do you have any others?” Taehyung asked.

“It’s my first one besides my own,” Sujeong said.

“She must be important,” Jungkook finally looked up from his paper “For hers to be your first.”

Sujeong’s cheeks burned red.

Jungkook smirked and looked back down at his page.

Taehyung drew one line on his page and labeled it femur. He drew a circle with two dark holes and labeled it skull. He drew another and labeled it Sujeong’s first love.

~~

It was one in the morning when Taehyung woke up with the sudden urge to pee. He walked down the hall with half open eyes. The light was on, Taehyung saw it in the crack under the door. Taehyung knocked on the bathroom door and asked, “Is anyone in there?”

Junhong answered, “Almost done.”

Taehyung heard the shower water. It was only Junhong, and Taehyung really really had to go to the bathroom. He yawned as he opened the door, “M’coming in,” he mumbled.

“Stop!” Junhong shouted.

Taehyung blinked awake. The bathtub was blue, as was Junhong’s hair. Taehyung groaned and locked the door behind him, “You make the biggest messes when you dye your hair.”

“I’m sorry,” Junhong smiled sheepishly.

“Let me help,” Taehyung took the shower hose from Junhong’s hand and aimed it at his hair. He changed the water from hot to cold, because that’s the smart thing to do, and rinsed Junhong’s hair. The cold water woke Taehyung up.

At least he thought it did. He saw something new on Junhong’s shoulder blade. He blinked again and saw that it was real. Taehyung’s eyes widened, “You’re in love.”

Junhong jumped away, blue water droplets landing all over the bathroom. His face was red. “No I’m not!”

“Yes you are, you have a new tattoo on your back,” Taehyung said.

Junhong stood up and tried an impossible turn to have both his back and his face on the mirror at the same time. His face turned deeper red, “Oh no.”

Taehyung turned off the shower hose and putit back in its place. He looked at the tattoo. It was a grayscale joker, with yellow accents.

“It’s Youngjae’s,” it wasn’t a question.

Junhong nodded. “He showed me his on the third day.”

“You’re in love with Youngjae,” Taehyung scoffed, “What do you even see in that guy?”

“He has a big mouth, but he’s a good person. He’s soft when he talks to me,” Junhong said. His hand went to his back.

“That guy has a stick up his ass,” Taehyung said.

“He’s better than Jungkook,” Junhong snapped.

“What do you know about Jungkook?” Taehyung asked.

“That your new friend is one of Javi’s clients. And that he’s a chainsmoker going nowhere with his life,” Junghong shouted.

“He’s better than us,” Taehyung retaliated.

“Is he?” Junhong shouted, “Or are we all just beneath you? Precious little Taehyung, he grew up in a perfect little suburban house life.”

“Shut up!” Taehyung shouted.

“Who came home from school one day and found out his perfect mother hung herself from the shower,” Junhong stepped into Taehyung’s space, leering over him. “Your perfect life wasn’t so perfect huh? No one wanted to take you in. You’re just like the rest of us. Abandoned!”

“Shut up!” Taehyung shouted. Junhong had him back against a wall.

“Tell me Taehyung, when they examined her body, did they find your tattoo on her? Because I know my tattoo is on my dad’s calf. I have a photo of it.”

Taehyung unlocked the bathroom and ran out.

He ran down the hallway and into the dining room. He slept under one of the tables.

~~

Taehyung found Jungkook sleeping in usual spot. He stood so that he blocked the sunlight. Jungkook blinked up at him. He asked, “Can I help you?”

Taehyung took a deep breath, “Can I go to your house today?”

Jungkook’s eyes widened, then he smirked. “Sure.”

Jungkook called his mom during free period so that she’d pick them up after school. She had Jungkook’s dragon tattoo on her upper arm and his same smirk. “Unfortunately he got his father’s big nose,” she teased.

“Mom,” Jungkook whined.

“What? It’s true. I hope you get his height too, otherwise you’re never going to get a date.”

Jungkook’s cheeks burned red, “Mom!”

Taehyung half laughed. For once Jungkook actually looked his age. All of the nervous blushing 16 years.

His house wasn’t big, his father was a mechanic for a garbage company and his mother was a secretary of an elementary school. He had to share a room with his older brother.

“We have the room to ourselves for now. My brother has wrestling practice after school,” Jungkook explained.

“You don’t play sports?” Taehyung asked.

Jungkook scoffed, “I’m too cool for sports.”

The bedroom looked like two teenage boys lived there. The beds were unmade. There was a large TV with three game systems hooked up to it. One side of the room had LA Dodgers posters on the walls. The other had band posters.

“You like Falling in Reverse?” Taehyung asked.

“Yeah,” Jungkook answered, he sat down on the unmade bed next to the band posters, “Ronnie Radke is a piece of shit human being but the first album was phenomenal. I also like Escape the Fate’s early stuff. Do you listen to them?”

“No but Hoseok does. He loves that kind of music,” Taenhyung said. He sat down next to Jungkook on the bed.

Jungkook tapped the bed. He chewed on his lower lip. “Do you want to tell me why you’re here?”

Taehyung shook his head, “Not yet.”

He pulled his knees up and rested his head on them, “Can I spend the night?”

“Sure,” Jungkook said, “Do you want to go home and grab a change of clothes?”

Taehyung shook his head. “Can you ask your mom to call the guardians and tell them I’ll be here?”

Jungkook hesitated, “Sure. Give me the number.”

Taehyung wrote it down on a sticky note and handed it to Jungkook. Jungkook ran out of the room shouting for his mother. Taehyung laid back on the bed. He closed his eyes and pretended that it was last year. Back when he lived with his mom in Arcadia, and he didn’t share a room with two other boys. Back when he thought his mom loved him.

~~

Taehyung was too tall for Jungkook’s jeans. He had to borrow a pair from the older brother. And a long sleeved white shirt from Jungkook.

“I’ve never worn that thing so no one should notice,” Jungkook said.

“Thank you,” Taehyung said.

“No problem,” Jungkook smiled sheepishly. He covered his A Day To Remember shirt in a black hoodie. His mom drove them to school.

Hoseok tackled Taehyung in a hug as soon as he entered the main lobby.

“I missed ya, brat. Who else is going to suffer Junhong’s sleep talking with me?” Hoseok said.

Taehyung gave a small smile, “It’s just one night.”

Jungkook stood behind Taehyung. Hoseok glared at him. “You’re the one who stole him away.”

Jungkook swallowed, “It was a sleepover.”

“We have sleepovers every night,” Hoseok said. He stepped into Jungkook’s space. Jungkook stepped back. Hoseok clapped him on the back, “Thanks for looking after him.”

Then he smiled his heart shaped smile.

“He was weird,” Jungkook commented later during art class.

“That’s just Hoseok, he’s like the older brother I never had,” Taehyung said.

Jungkook nodded.

Today’s assignment was oil pastel. They were coloring sunrises.

“Are you spending the night again?” Jungkook asked.

Taehyung stopped drawing the rays of his sun. He stared at the table. “I don’t know. I should…”

“You can change your mind later,” Jungkook said.

Taehyung turned to him and smiles, “Thank you.”

Jungkook looked down at his paper. Taehyung might have been seeing things, but he swore Jungkook blushed.

When Taehyung walked into free period, Junhong had Fooly Cooly set up on one of the computers. “It’s your favorite episode,” Junhong said. He held out a headphone for Taehyung.

Taehyung took it, and placed it in his ear.

They watched the episode.

“I’m sorry,” Junhong said.

“Me too.”

~~

On the autopsy report the doctor wrote that Taehyung’s mom had no tattoos besides her own.

They also found out that she falsified her records, and they had no way of contacting her extended family. Most likely they were in South Korea.

Taehyung told of this to Jungkook.

“And they had no way of finding her identity?” Jungkook asked.

Taehyung shook his head, “She likely ran away in high school, and created a fake identity.”

Jungkook nodded. He shuffled the deck. They were playing cards in Jungkook’s room. It was three in the morning. Jungkook’s older brother had snuck out to spend the night with his girlfriend. Jungkook dealt the deck.

“You’ve never met your family?” Jungkook asked. “Hit or stay?”

“Which one means I need another card?” Taehyung asked.

“Hit.”

“Hit,” Taehyung said. Jungkook gave him a card. Taehyung continued, “An uncle spent the weekend with us once, but looking back he was probably a one night stand.”

“That sucks. How did you survive?” Jungkook asked, “Hit or stay?”

“I’m too high,” Taehyung said, “My mom made a lot of friends. She did graduate from med school and was the best brain surgeon at her hospital. All of her coworkers loved me.”

“That’s because you have one of those cute face that’s easy to love,” Jungkook said. He spread his cards out in front of him. A king and a nine, “nineteen.”

Taehyung pouted, “Twenty three.” He spread his cards in front of him. One five, one seven, and one ace.

Jungkook frowned. “You have thirteen.”

“No I have twenty three,” Taehyung pointed at the ace, “that’s eleven.”

“It’s eleven OR one, depending on what you need,” Jungkook said.

Taehyung’s mouth hung open.

Jungkook laughed, “Haven’t you ever played blackjack before?”

“No,” Taehyung said, “My mom and I played board games, and we’re not allowed to have cards in the group home. It encourages gambling.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Jungkook scoffed.

Taehyung shrugged, “Everyone says this director is the strictest they ever had.”

Jungkook reshuffled the cards. “Your life completely changed when your mom died.”

Taehyung nodded, “I hate it every time someone mentions the group home. I wish there was a way that they couldn’t know.”

“That’s not something you can hide,” Jungkook dealt the cards, “but it’s only two more years, and then you’re on your own.”

“I do have my mom’s inheritance,” Taehyung said, “Hit me.”

Jungkook lightly punched him in the shoulder. Taehyung glared. Jungkook smiled.

“Asshole,” Taehyung said.

“You said hit me,” Jungkook laughed. He handed Taehyung a card.

Taehyung sneered.

“Hit or stay?” Jungkook asked.

“Stay,” Taehyung said.

“All right,” Jungkook drew one card. He drew another. Then another. “What’d you get?”

“Twenyty- one,” Taehyung beamed as he spread his cards. One ten, one eight, and one three.

Jungkook spread his cards. One nine, one two, one seven, and one five, “Twenty one. I win.”

“No. The winner is the onew who has less cards,” Taehyung said.

“Unless they’re the dealer. If dealer gets twenty one then they win no matter what,” Jungkook said.

Taehyung pouted, “Now you’re just making up rules.” He squinted at the cards. “Wait you had five cards.”

Jungkook looked away, “No I didn’t.”

“Yes you did,” Taehyung glared, “Where is it?”

Jungkook shrugged his shoulders. Taehyung reached out. When he shook Jungkook’s a sleeve a card fell out, a three. Taehyung held it in front of his face. “Liar,” he laughed

“That was a bullshit hand,” Jungkook whined.

“You little liar,” Taehyung laughed, he fell into Jungkook’s chest. “Filthy stinking liar.”

Taehyung felt Jungkook laugh. Taehyung’s chest warmed, but it was nice warm, it was comforting.

~~

Hoseok had a large scarf wrapped around his neck.

Youngjae glared at him, “Aren’t you hot?”

“Ignore him,” Jungkook said.

“Hoseok’s just trying not to keep his dignity intact,” Taehyung explained. He reached for Junhong’s fries. Junhong slapped his hand.

“Why would he get in trouble?” Youngjae asked.

At that moment, Jungkook ran up to the table and pulled Hoseok’s scarf down, revealing a large red rose tattoo on his neck.

“I knew it!” Jungkook shouted, “I knew it! I knew it! Thank you god, I never should have doubted you.” Jungkook blew a kiss to the sky.

“Ignore him too,” Junhong said.

“I’m trying, but it’s really hard” Youngjae said as he watched Jungkook jump around, “whose tattoo is that.”

“The hot bio student teacher,” Taehyung said.

“Seokjin?” Youngjae said, “He’s not that hot.”

“You only say that because you two look alike,” Taehyung said.

Junhong’s eyes widened, “Oh my god you do look like him!”

“Whatever,” Youngjae said. Then he pointed at Jungkook, who was now strumming an air guitar, “Why is he so excited?”

“Because Hoseok bet that he could fuck around without catching feelings,” Taehyung explained.

“And that tattoo is cold hard undeniable proof of feelings,” Jungkook held out his hand, “You owe me fifty bucks.”

Hoseok sneered. He dug through his pocket and smacked a bill in Jungkook’s hand.

 Jungkook’s smile fell. “This is only twenty.”

“I know, but we made a bet for thirty and I’m pretty sure I’m going to win that one,” Hoseok said.

The color drained from Jungkook’s face. Then he scoffed, “Psh no. That’s not going to happen.”

“We’ll see,” Hoseok said in a patronizing tone.

Jungkook frowned, then stormed off. Taehyung watched him retreat back inside the school.

“Ignore them,” Junhong said.

“Again, it’s really hard not to,” Youngjae said with a smile. Taehyung was still watching the place where Jungkook used to be.

~~

Really considering how often they’ve been hanging out, and their open conversations, Taehyung shouldn’t have been surprised when it happened.

As soon as they all piled out of the van, Taehyung saw Jungkook waiting in front of the school. His legs were crossed and his hoodie covered half of his face but that was undeniably Jungkook’s nose peeking out.

Taehyung stepped in front of him. “What are you doing here? You usually come after first bell.”

Jungkook lifted his hood up, just to confirm it was Taehyung then pulled his hood down again. Jungkook spoke, “Your tattoo wasn’t of a ship at sea. It was of a wooden ship floating in the stars, right?”

“That’s right,” Taehyung answered.

Jungkook nodded to himself. Then he stood up and said, “That’s all I wanted to say.” Then he walked inside the school.

Taehyung looked down at the imprint of Jungkook’s butt in the grass, pondering over their weird conversation. Boat in the stars. Taehyung always wears long pants. Jungkook couldn’t know that unless…

Taehyung’s eyes widened.

He looked up to see Jungkook standing in front of the school doors. He turned away and ran inside.

His heart raced.

~~

Taehyung tried to hide in his in his biology classroom during lunch.

But Seokjin found him under one of the tables.

He asked. “What are you doing here?”

“Counting all the pieces of gum,” Taehyung blurted out.

Seokjin frowned. He looked under the desk, “That is a lot. But that isn’t a reason.”

Taehyung hugged his knees to his chest.

Seokjin sighed. He sat across from Taehyung. “Is this about personal stuff?”

Taehyung didn’t answer.

Seokjin leaned on his hand. “Should I call the psychologist?”

“Please don’t,” Taehyung said in a small voice, “I think I want to talk to you.”

Seokjin gave a soft smile, “Okay, talk.”

“You’re a likable and attractive guy, I’m sure many people have fallen in love with you,” Taehyung said.

Seokjin blushed, “That may have happened once or twice. Why?”

“What do you say to someone who’s in love with you, but you’re not in love with them?” Taehyung asked.

Seokjin’s smiled turned sympathetic. “You have to talk to them, and explain that their feelings are not reciprocated. Though judging by your expression, I think that’s not the case.”

Taehyung buried his face in his knees, “I don’t have the tattoo.”

“Not right now,” Seokjin said, “But maybe someday. This is just my opinion.”

Taehyung chewed on his lower lip. “Do you have any new tattoos?” he asked.

“I only have two,” Seokjin said. He held out the back of his hand, where the white lilies were. “This one from my mom and mine.”

His mother, of course. Taehyung took a deep breath, “Thank you.”

“Get out of here, and talk to him,” Seokjin said.

Taehyung blushed.

“The whole school knows about you and Jungkook. It’s only a matter of time,” Seokjin continued.

Taehyung smiled. Seokjin opened the door. Taehyung ran out.

~~

Taehyung sat in front of the art classroom. He ran up to Jungkook, Jungkook stepped back.

“Can we ditch class and talk?” Taehyung asked.

Jungkook chewed on his lower lip.

They hid in Jungkook’s favorite spot, the furthermost corner of the quad.

Jungkook scratched the back of his neck. He couldn’t look Taehyung in the eye. “So yeah… that appeared last night.”

Taehyung’s face burned. “I only have my tattoo.”

Jungkook’s face fell.

“But, I think…. My mom never had my tattoo. And she’s my mother, she has to love me right? So maybe my genetics don’t create tattoos, we only ever have our own,” Taehyung said. He twisted his hands.

Jungkook frowned. He took a step towards Taehyung. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I like you a lot,” Taehyung said, “My body may not recognize that its love but I know my feelings. And they’re very strong, and they’re all for you.”

Taehyung felt a hand on his face. He had to look down to meet Jungkook’s eyes. He could every eyelash, see every freckle. Jungkook licked his lips and kissed him. Soft, sweet, a chaste press of the lips. Taehyung leaned into it. And then as suddenly it was there it disappeared. “Want to go to the movies this weekend?” Jungkook asked, “My mom can drive us there in her mini van.”

Taehyung nodded, yes.

~~

Three months later, Jungkook’s dragon tattoo did appear on Taehyung’s skin. It appeared on his chest, right above his heart. On that same day, his mother’s jellyfish tattoo also appeared on his forearm. Taehyung cried. It confirmed what he always knew but never chose to believe.

On the day Taehyung turned 18, he moved out of the group home and into Jungkook’s room, where his mom welcomed with open arms. It took years but he had a mom who loved him. He knew. She had the ship and stars tattoo right above her waistline.

“From my third son,” she said with a smile.

Taehyung smiled through his tears.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry if I got life in a group home wrong. Van Nuys, Redlands, and Arcadia are all areas in California.


End file.
